Hit By A Drunk Driver In Dallas?
Our car accident lawyers can help with your injury claim or lawsuit
Drinking and driving can be a dangerous combination. In an instant, a drunk driver can cause a car accident with serious consequences. Suddenly, you might have a severe injury that requires immediate medical attention at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, or another emergency room hospital in Dallas. You might be in a lot of pain and suffering and unable to work for several weeks or perhaps even months.
Expenses can add up fast after a car crash caused by a drunk driver. What should you do? What are your options? Make sure you talk to an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Make sure you talk to a Dallas drunk driving accident lawyer at The Marye Law Firm. We can help.
For more than two decades, our dedicated legal team has been helping injury victims demand the money they rightfully deserve. We understand how the legal system works in Texas when it comes to drunk driving accidents. We know what evidence to look for and what questions to ask. That’s why we have such a strong track record of success. We’re serious about winning your case and truly want to help.
How common are drunk driving accidents?
Despite decades of warnings about the dangers of drunk driving, impaired drivers continue to wreak havoc on our roads. Every year, more than 10,000 people on average are killed in car accidents caused by drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That’s one fatality every 52 minutes.
Worst of all, drunk driving accidents and fatalities only seem to be getting worse. One recent year, drunk driving fatalities increased by a stagging 18 percent compared to the year before. “This nightmare on our roads needs to stop,” said Alex Otte, National President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Are drunk driving accidents common in Texas?
While drunk driving accidents remain a problem everywhere, drunk drivers in Texas cause more car accidents than drivers in any other state. Each year, more people die in drunk driving accidents in Texas than in any other state, according to statistics compiled by the NHTSA.
And in the last few years, those numbers continue to climb higher, often to the highest death toll in more than a decade. As a result, it’s now normal for more than 1,400 people to die in fatal drunk driving accidents in Texas each year. This includes Dallas: in recent years, an average of 123 people have died in drunk driving accidents in Dallas County each year. That’s 42 percent of all fatal car accidents. That’s unacceptable.
What are common injuries?
Car accident injuries due to crashes caused by drunk drivers can cover a wide range. Such injuries can include:
- Serious neck injuries, including whiplash.
- Head injuries, including concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
- Back injuries, including spinal cord injuries.
- Broken bones, including bone fractures in the arms, hands, or legs.
- Severe or chronic pain due to the long-term effects of a serious injury.
Whatever type of injury you sustained in an accident caused by a drunk driver, make sure you fully understand your legal rights. Make sure you talk to a lawyer right away.
Who can I sue after my accident?
If you were hit by a drunk driver, you often have several legal options available to you. Such options may include filing a lawsuit seeking damages, a legal term for financial compensation. So who can you sue? Who can you take legal action against? Depending on the circumstances of your case, you might be able to file a lawsuit against one or more of the following people or companies:
- The drunk driver who caused your accident.
- The bar, restaurant, or liquor store that sold alcohol to the drunk driver. This is possible if the driver was already drunk when they bought more alcohol, then caused your crash. In such cases, you may be able to file a “dram shop” lawsuit against the business.
Whatever legal path you decide to pursue, make sure you have an experienced attorney on your side, advising you every step of the way.
What should I do after my accident?
Before you decide whether to file a lawsuit in response to your drunk driving accident, there are many other steps you should take to protect your health and your legal rights. Such steps often include:
- Call the police and tell them you’ve been involved in a car crash caused by a drunk driver.
- Ask the police to send an ambulance to your accident. If your crash occurred several days ago and you have still not been examined by a doctor, see one right away. You may have a serious, life-threatening injury and not even realize it.
- Before the police arrive, stay in your car and don’t approach the other vehicle. Drunk drivers can often be unpredictable and violent.
- If someone saw your accident, get the person’s full name and phone number. Eyewitness testimony can be a powerful piece of evidence in a drunk driving case.
- Get the other driver’s information (name, address, insurance info, etc.) from the investigating police officer. Do not talk to the other driver. Again, drunk drivers can be unpredictable and dangerous.
- Call a lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about the legal options available to you.
Demand the attention you deserve. Contact us
Don’t simply assume your case will be straightforward just because a drunk driver caused your accident. Often, the at-fault driver in such cases will deny being intoxicated. They might even challenge the test results that prove they were drunk at the time of the crash.
And even if police are investigating your accident, it’s important to remember that they’re simply focused on determining whether the at-fault driver broke any laws when they caused your collision. The police are not concerned with whether you’re fairly compensated for all your accident-related expenses.
That’s our job. And we’re ready and eager to get to work for you. Discover what a dedicated Dallas drunk driving accident lawyer can do for you. Contact us and schedule your free case evaluation at our Dallas law firm.
The Marye Law Firm – we’re serious about winning your case.